The Scratch programming environment is a computer programming language designed for 8-12 year old children to learn how to program and create multimedia applications and games with ease. More ...
History of Scratch
MIT has a long history of contributions to computing for children beginning with the creation of the LOGO programming language by Seymour Papert in the 1970s. Papert is a mathematician as well as a child psychologist and turtle graphics forms a core part of LOGO, allowing a child to control the movement of a robot with Move and Turn commands. These commands prove useful to a child’s understanding of geometry when used in combination with a pen to draw shapes on the screen or on the floor when using a physical turtle attached to the computer.
Scratch Overviev
Scratch is a programming environment, based upon LOGO, which allows young programmers to easily create multimedia applications and simple games. Block programming eliminates the frustrations of syntax errors which afflict novices learning traditional computer programming languages. The Scratch environment allows the creation and control of graphical objects, known as sprites, which move around the screen and integration of graphics or photos and sound files to create multimedia applications. Scratch applications are designed to be shared and the Scratch web site has thousands of applications which can be downloaded and remixed into new applications. Some applications that can be created by novice Scratch programmers are detailed below:
A simple game where the player controls a sprite chasing another sprite around the screen.
An animation with sprites representing the letters of the programmer’s name with each letter
spinning or otherwise moving around the screen and playing a sound when clicked.
A quiz style application showing several pictures and a question which responds to the user clicking
on the selected answer.
A multimedia presentation incorporating photographs with sound recordings providing explanations
as the user clicks on each item.
Conclusion
Scratch offers an opportunity to teach children as young as seven years old how to program a computer and create powerful multimedia applications and games. The thought processes involved in collaborating in the planning, design, creation, and fixing, of a computer application can bring out and improve communication skills in many children.
References
Buckingham, D. (2007). Beyond Technology: Children’s Learning in the Age of Digital Culture. Polity Press. Crook, S.J. (2009). Scratch Lesson Plan. http://scratch.redware.com. Redware Research Limited. Monroy-Hernández, A. and Resnick, M. (2008). Empowering kids to create and share programmable media. Interactions, March-April 2008. Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. Basic Books. Shaffer, D. (2008). How Computer Games Help Children Learn. Palgrave Macmillan.
The Scratch programming environment is a computer programming language designed for 8-12 year old children to learn how to program and create multimedia applications and games with ease. More ...
History of Scratch
MIT has a long history of contributions to computing for children beginning with the creation of the LOGO programming language by Seymour Papert in the 1970s. Papert is a mathematician as well as a child psychologist and turtle graphics forms a core part of LOGO, allowing a child to control the movement of a robot with Move and Turn commands. These commands prove useful to a child’s understanding of geometry when used in combination with a pen to draw shapes on the screen or on the floor when using a physical turtle attached to the computer.Scratch Overviev
Scratch is a programming environment, based upon LOGO, which allows young programmers to easily create multimedia applications and simple games. Block programming eliminates the frustrations of syntax errors which afflict novices learning traditional computer programming languages. The Scratch environment allows the creation and control of graphical objects, known as sprites, which move around the screen and integration of graphics or photos and sound files to create multimedia applications.Scratch applications are designed to be shared and the Scratch web site has thousands of applications which can be downloaded and remixed into new applications. Some applications that can be created by novice Scratch programmers are detailed below:
spinning or otherwise moving around the screen and playing a sound when clicked.
on the selected answer.
as the user clicks on each item.
Conclusion
Scratch offers an opportunity to teach children as young as seven years old how to program a computer and create powerful multimedia applications and games. The thought processes involved in collaborating in the planning, design, creation, and fixing, of a computer application can bring out and improve communication skills in many children.References
Buckingham, D. (2007). Beyond Technology: Children’s Learning in the Age of Digital Culture. Polity Press.Crook, S.J. (2009). Scratch Lesson Plan. http://scratch.redware.com. Redware Research Limited.
Monroy-Hernández, A. and Resnick, M. (2008). Empowering kids to create and share programmable media. Interactions, March-April 2008.
Papert, S. (1980). Mindstorms: Children, Computers, and Powerful Ideas. Basic Books. Shaffer, D. (2008). How Computer Games Help Children Learn. Palgrave Macmillan.